SERIES REVIEW – Penning down my thoughts on this was a challenge. As an avid follower of Álex Pina and Esther Martínez Lobato’s acclaimed ‘Money Heist,’ the anticipation for its prequel on Netflix this Friday was high, promising a delightful escapade for the year-end. This new eight-part saga revisits the era when Berlin (Pedro Alonso), the original’s doomed, sexually charged, and menacing maestro, joins the ranks. Yet, it disappoints! The plot meanders, the heist’s narrative bores, and the characters lack complexity. Rather than a true spinoff, it comes off as a feeble imitation, failing to capture the original’s suspenseful magic despite the creators’ proven prowess.

Berlin, a fan-favorite from ‘Money Heist,’ posed a significant challenge in centering a standalone series around him. Described by Pina in 2021 to Oprah Daily as ‘misogynistic, psychopathic, self-centered, narcissistic, criminal, and a violator,’ yet he is adored by many for his appreciation of friendship, loyalty, and kinship.

This Spin-off Struggles to Fit into the Larger Franchise

‘Money Heist,’ known for its vibrant and heartwarming portrayal of villains, clashes with the intricate moral dilemmas associated with complex heroes. The characters are flawed, yet the narrative doesn’t offer a morally grey world. It rather dwells in the fantasy that these charming thieves are altruistic Robin Hoods who revel in grand festivities, while depicting the institutions they plunder as corrupt.

Yet, there were potentials for a Berlin-centric spinoff to thrive. It could have showcased Berlin as a lone wolf, grappling with his extroverted nature in solitary profitability. Perhaps it could have explored his relationship with his son, Rafael (Patrick Criado), who briefly appeared in the original. The prequel had the opportunity to unravel how the protagonist evolved into the charismatic yet threatening figure he is, or what he was like before his illness plunged him into a nihilistic spiral.

Instead, the ‘Berlin’ series opts for a lighter, sometimes comedic tone, closely mirroring the ‘Money Heist’ blueprint. Berlin’s mission is to pilfer a trove of jewels from France’s largest auction house. Assembling a somewhat capable crew of thieves, he trains them akin to his timid, more sensible, and responsible brother in the original series. Some characters bear an almost uncanny resemblance to the original’s cast: such as the deep, yet restrained genius who’s the team’s brain (Tristán Ulloa as Damián, an older, glasses-wearing version of Álvaro Morte’s El Profesor), a charming but dim-witted fellow (Joel Sánchez as Bruce, paralleling Jaime Lorente’s Denver), and a past-traumatized, adrenaline-dependent individual (Begoña Vargas as Camerón, evidently modeled on Úrsula Corberó’s Tokyo).

Imitations Galore with a Dash of Originality

While the series doesn’t hide its parallels, not every character is a mere copy; for instance, Keila (Michelle Jenner), the reserved hacker, adds a new flavor. Yet, it feels almost like an inside joke that one character, Roi (Julio Peña Fernández), is a name anagram of Rio (Miguel Herrán’s role in the original). Despite borrowing heavily, the new series fundamentally misunderstands what made the original formula enthralling.

Take the original gang’s signature red jumpsuits and Salvador Dalí masks – uniforms forced upon hostages, blending criminals and victims visually, becoming a potent real-world protest symbol. This paradoxical costume, originally meant to conceal the guilty among the innocent, resonates as a symbol of resistance only to those familiar with the series. The original heist had a clever and creative political aspect, at least tactically: The Professor viewed the takeover of the mint – an institution portrayed as serving the wealthy while the average people suffocate in debt – as a campaign for hearts and minds. This strategy paid off, with the public viewing the robbers as heroes fighting for a noble cause, leading people worldwide to don their attire in solidarity.

Berlin’s Single-minded Pursuits

Contrasting with the quest for moral high ground, Berlin in the series is incapable and uninterested in such pursuits. His sole motivation is thievery. The series also fails to equip him with redeeming qualities. Lacking the essence of a strong, inspirational leader, Berlin seems almost oblivious to the heist unfolding for most of the series, absorbed in ensnaring his target, Camille (Samantha Siqueiros), and persuading her to disrupt her life for him. This subplot echoes back to the original series, especially the Professor’s unplanned romantic involvement with Raquel Murillo (Itziar Ituño), the hostage negotiator he was meant to manipulate. However, this unexpected romance was impactful precisely because both individuals were portrayed as restrained and morally upright, self-sacrificing people battling with an overbearing sense of duty, trying to adhere to a code while surrounded by those who acted on whim.

A hedonist who lives by ‘carpe diem’ fails to generate a similar dynamic. Unfortunately, the emotional trajectory between Berlin and Camille turns out to be the series’ emotional crux. The show’s main risk lies in whether viewers will be intrigued to see where Berlin lands as he wavers between his lust for wealth through thievery and his romantic entanglements (along with his cynicism about love). Berlin’s methodical pursuit of Camille, involving stalking, surveillance, deceit about his identity, and only showing interest if she rejects her husband, structurally undermines any meaningful engagement with this plot line.

Berlin’s Lackluster Leadership

The original ‘Money Heist’ charm was largely due to the thieves’ entertaining amateurishness; they often gave in to passion and impulse instead of focusing on the heist. Yet, they had flashes of brilliance and a palpable bond, ready to make sacrifices for each other.

In contrast, ‘Berlin’ falls short in terms of leadership compared to the original, where the Professor was deeply committed to his team, overseeing them with care and concern for their safety. Berlin’s approach to leadership hardly merits the term. He imposes unreasonable demands, jeopardizes the plan, endangers everyone, and smirks at the camera. Any semblance of camaraderie among the thieves arises in spite of Berlin, not because of him. Even with Pedro Alonso’s charisma, he cannot render this role particularly engaging – a missed opportunity, as managing a potential mutiny, for example, could have added an intriguing twist. Alas, his team rewards him with loyalty and care, undeservedly so.

The lack of ensemble cohesion, with much of the series spent with characters apart, further hinders the development of a collective spirit. The slowly unfolding romantic subplots among the thieves feel forced and ultimately lead to tedium. If the intention was to create suspense about whether the couples would eventually kiss, the outcome is predictably unexciting, much like the series as a whole.

-Gergely Herpai (BadSector)-